We Dodged A Bullet
by TrueGirl3
Summary: So this takes place in Season 9 Episode 7, right before the pregnancy scare test results. What would happen if Jackson was the one to be relieved? How would things be different and how would they stay the same due to some role reversals? A retelling of the events following.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone, so I am also pitching out this story as an idea. It came from a fight between me and my brother as we were re-watching old episodes of Grey's. I, of course, was yammering about how Jackson put all the blame on April and my brother was taking Jackson's side (classic male… pshh). **

**Anyway, he said "How would April have felt if the roles were reversed?"…which led me to this story idea. I will be sticking to the general storyline, but changing things up somewhat so that Jackson and April's roles are somewhat reversed to see how different it is.**

**So let me know what you all think. I am anxious to hear your thoughts. FYI, if I don't get a lot of interest in this, I probably won't continue it because I already have so many stories out there right now that could use more of my attention.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

We Dodged a Bullet

Chapter 1

April

April's eyes scanned over the results, quickly finding the result in the levels of her blood sample...not pregnant.

"Not pregnant," April whispered, a lump forming in her throat.

On the one hand she was relieved. She really didn't feel ready to have a baby, especially at this particular time. She wanted someone to marry her, and not because a condom broke.

But another part of her...a small, quiet part inside of her felt disappointment. Her mind flashed to the darkened room Jackson had dragged her into earlier that day. She remembered how happy...how excited they both were, assuming that she might be pregnant.

Jackson exhaled deeply, bending over and resting his elbows on his knees and letting his head drop down.

"Thank God," he murmured, rubbing his head, "I mean, we just dodged a bullet."

April flinched at his words and thought…_Dodged a bullet?_ As if getting married and having a baby with her was worse than getting shot at?

Jackson looked up at her as if he expected her to feel the same relief and joy at the news. April quickly tried to school her features, but Jackson always was so good at reading her.

"April," he said, his eyes widening in guilt, "No. I just meant-"

"No, I...I get it," April said, folding the paper in her hands quickly, "I am relieved too," as she brushed her hair back and tried to compose herself.

"I just meant that...well, that we can keep dating and-" Jackson said, "And you can go on the pill and everything can be the same, just not with a child."

April shoved her hands into the pockets of her lab coat and said, "I think...Maybe this is a sign. That we should stop." _Are you really saying this?_ April asked herself.

"April," Jackson pleaded, trying to reach for her. April shifted away from his reach and he pursed his lips.

"Honestly I think it's for the best," April said as she stood. _Especially because you equate being with me to getting shot at, _she thought to herself.

"If that's really what you-" Jackson said, looking up at her with a strange look on his face.

"It is," April said cutting him off, nodding and looking down at the wet pavement. She heard a distant Ambulance siren and knew she would eventually be needed back inside.

"That's my signal," April said, her voice wobbly, pointing to the trauma doors. Jackson nodded and April muttered, "See you later," before turning and walked away, trying not to cry as she walked through the doors. Ross was there, holding a yellow gown out for her and she slipped her arms through it and gave herself a pep talk as he tied her into it.

"Has Hunt been paged?" Kepner asked, swallowing as she tried to forget the last fifteen minutes.

"New trauma attending actually," Shane responded. April sighed, _Can't I get a break?_

She really didn't want to hold someone's hand tonight and walk them through the trauma intake process. Especially someone who had her actual position and her actual salary.

"Who?" April asked, prepping the boards before snapping on gloves.

"Kevin Banks," Shane said. _Kevin Banks_...that name sounded familiar.

"Yeah, transferred from Case Western," Shane added, rushing out to meet the ambulance. April's heart dropped as she recalled that night. That was a big night for April. Punching that guy in the face wasn't even the most memorable.

"Dr. Kepner?"

April spun and saw him just as he looked up from his pager. He looked just as shocked to see her as she was to see him.

April scowled at him and sighed in frustration...apparently God was really pissed at her. She stalked out to the bay with Kevin still looking after her in surprise.

Jackson

Jackson rubbed his forehead, trying to avoid the building headache he had. He had totally fucked that conversation up. Usually it was April who was sticking her foot in her mouth, but this time it was him. He made a fist and hit the back of the metal bench where April had just been sitting ten minutes ago.

How could he fix this? He hated that he had hurt her. And he knew he did, because before she had smoothed out her features into one of calm and kind understanding, Jackson has seen how much his relief and his words had hurt her.

Jackson was trying to come up with a way to spin this, but his pager went off. Callie. He sighed and shoved his pager in his pocket and walked towards the doors of the trauma unit.

As Jackson walked through the unit to get to Callie and Derek, he couldn't help glancing around for April. He spotted her through one of the trauma rooms, working furiously on a patient.

She really was beautiful. Her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth in concentration and her movement, though quick, was confident and precise.

Jackson looked down, not able to look at her anymore knowing that earlier he had hurt her.

April

April swore under breath as the guy they were operating on flat lined again, "Goddammit!"

Dr. Douchebag across from her swore too and threw stitches inside the body cavity as if his life was on the line as April looked for other bleeders. The shrieking machine suddenly calmed and April sighed as the patient began to stabilize once more.

She glanced up, surprised to see that Kevin Banks' eyes were trained on her and sparkling with excitement. The same excitement she was sure shone in her eyes. Trauma...well, it wasn't for everybody, but for April and apparently for Kevin, it was like a drug. The best drug out there.

The adrenaline pumped deliciously through her veins as she worked and when she saw patients come back like this...it was the best high for her. April couldn't help smiling at Banks behind her mask in response the buzz they were both feeling and Kevin smiled back at her before they both focused back on their work.

"So," Kevin, said as he worked, "Happy to see me?"

April scoffed, not bothering to answer him. He had accused her of sleeping with someone to get a job. To be honest, she hadn't thought about him since she punched him...so much else had happened that night to erase him from her brain.

"Look," Kevin said, "I am sorry for acting like a jerk at the boards. I was drunk, but that's no excuse."

April continued to work, processing his words slowly in her brain. Who knew what Shane thought as he assisted them?

"I hope you accept my apology, especially if we are going to be working together," Kevin said, tying off another suture.

April sighed and glanced up from her work before responding, "Thank you for your apology. I accept it." She had pissed off God enough lately and she also couldn't afford to shoot down a possible friend since her and Jackson were headed for a big break.

Kevin smiled and April looked back down at their work. Aside from a few needed stitches, this patient was looking good.

"So, do you want to go get a drink after this?" Kevin asked. April looked up at him in disbelief and he chuckled and shook his head and said, "As friends. I bet you know where the drinking hole is for the people around here."

April smiled a small smile and replied, "Sure, I could use a drink." If April ever needed a drink, it was now. After a day like today...it would be good to numb herself up a little.

"Good. Nice mattress stitch," he said, eyeing her work appreciatively.

"Thanks," she whispered, tying off the stitch, "Time to close up."

Kevin nodded and April looked to Shane and asked, "Care to do the honors Ross?"

Ross nodded eagerly and practically pushed her out of the way to complete close up.

Kevin chuckled and followed April into the scrub room.

April stretched out her muscles and smiled as she tore her scrub mask from her face and began scrubbing out.

"Nothing else like it, is there?" Kevin asked, jerking his chin towards the OR they had just come from.

April looked over at him as he scrubbed his hands vigorously and April shook her head as she scrubbed her own hands.

"No, there isn't," she said softly, looking into the OR. How anybody could be interested in anything other than trauma mystified April. It was thrilling and made your heart race.

For once it was nice to have someone get it.

"Come on," April said, pitching the blue towel into the hamper, "I'll take you to Joe's and kick your behind in darts."

Kevin chuckled and followed her out.

Jackson

"You look like crap," Alex said, sitting at the table next to him as Jackson nursed a scotch, his mind running over the day's events.

"Yeah," Jackson said, swirling the brown liquid in his glass, "That's about right."

Alex gestured for a beer and Jackson smiled without humor as he sipped his drink.

"So Kepner is knocked up?" Alex asked nonchalantly. Jackson glared at him, wondering how he knew.

"I mean, she was acting a little weirder than usual, you were taking her blood…" he trailed off as he sipped his beer.

"Well, not that it's any of your business, but no, she is not knocked up," Jackson said.

"That sounds like something to drink to," Alex said. Yeah, that's what he had thought too...but now as he remembered the flash of hurt over April's face...he didn't know anymore.

"Can we get another round?" Alex asked as Jackson finished off his drink.

Jackson studied Alex, remembering that he too had hurt April. Did that mean he was like him? No, he cared about her. Really cared about her.

"No more calling her weird," Jackson said, taking the offered drink.

"Karev made a face and said, "She is," as if he was in denial.

"I know, you're just not allowed to say it," Jackson said, sipping his drink.

Alex shrugged and looked somewhere over his shoulder, and Jackson was going to follow his gaze when the door to Joe's dinged. Jackson glanced up and his heart sped up as he saw April, walking towards the bar. It took a second for him to realize she was talking to someone.

Jackson squinted, trying to figure out why that guy looked so familiar.

"Dude, isn't that the dude who Kepner punched at the boards?" Alex asked, sipping his beer and squinting his own eyes as if they were tricking him. Jackson stared in disbelief as he finally placed the guy.

"Yeah," Jackson said slowly, watching April throw her head back and laugh at something the guy said. She looked beautiful, her red curls bouncing and shining, even in this dingy bar.

"Didn't he get the Cleveland Clinic spot once Kepner bombed the test?" Alex asked, but he seemed to be distracted by something by the dart boards.

"I would imagine so," Jackson said nonchalantly, standing and throwing a couple twenties down on the table and shrugging his jacket on.

"Leaving?" Alex asked, motioning to Jackson's almost full drink.

"I need to crash," Jackson said, taking a long gulp of the scotch, wincing as it burned down his throat.

Alex just watched him with a look of confusion as he left. Jackson allowed himself one more look her way, and when he did he was surprised to see that her eyes were on him. She smiled sadly at him and he inhaled sharply before nodding once to her and leaving the bar.

**So, I am anxious about this story. Like I said, I am not sure how long I will keep this up or even if I will keep it up. It really depends on the interest and the response I get from all of you. So, I hope to hear from ya via review or PM. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! So I decided to go ahead and write on. I have gotten a lot of support from readers who liked some of my older stories, so I thought I would see where this takes me. It might not take me anywhere, but why not try, eh?**

**So I hope you all enjoy and continue to give some feedback. Believe it or not, it really does help!**

We Dodged a Bullet

Chapter 2

Jackson-One Week Later

Jackson was organizing charts in order when he spotted Bailey down the hall.

"Dr. Bailey," Jackson called, walking towards her, "I know I said I could make it to your wedding, but I have this patient that has developed an infection-"

"An infection?" Bailey interrupted impatiently, "Get the interns to monitor. Isn't that what we pay them for?"

"Yeah," Jackson said, "But I am just worried-"

"Avery," Bailey said, "You are worried that going to this wedding will give April ideas about you and her."

Jackson winced and said, "No, we uh, we broke up."

Bailey looked stunned and said, "Really? This damn Christmas wedding has got me off my game."

Jackson slipped his hands in his pocket and looked at her as she studied him with her knowing eyes, "You think it will be hard to see April in such a romantic setting, like a wedding?"

Jackson's ears perked up, hearing a note of understanding in Bailey's voice. He didn't want to go to this wedding, and he knew April was apart of that reason.

"Maybe" Jackson said, coughing lightly and looking up at her with those eyes. The Avery eyes.

"Suck it up, Avery!" Bailey snapped, her glance hardening and shaming him for giving her the look, "If I have to go, you have to go."

"Oh-okay," Jackson said, straightening and walking away quickly.

Jackson walked towards the nurses' desk and began to flip through his charts and review his next case when April walked up to the counter, grabbed a clipboard, her eyes scanning it.

"Hey April," Jackson said, causing her to startle slightly but then calm. While she wasn't startled any longer, he did note wariness in her gaze.

Jackson tucked his charts under one arm and walked closer to her so that he would not be overheard.

"About Bailey's wedding," he began, "I was...I think if we are forced to go to this wedding then we should both bring dates to this wedding."

April glanced up at him with a look of utter confusion on her face...he loved the way her nose crinkled…. "I just think we would both have a better time if we were able to focus on our dates instead of each other."

April set her clipboard down and Jackson could see she was getting more annoyed and frustrated by the minute. "Or, we could focus on Bailey and Ben."

Jackson sighed and said, "You know what I mean. I don't even want to go to this wedding, so the fact that I have to is hard enough without putting us together in a romantic setting in formalwear and our...history."

April sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose and then sighed and said, "Well, if it makes you feel any better I already told someone they could take me. Now I need to get to work."

Jackson tried and most likely failed to hide the surprise on his face, so he was glad that April wasn't really paying attention to him as she picked her clip board up and walked towards the OR board to schedule the surgeries.

Alex jogged up to Jackson and asked, "I need a favor. I am taking Jo to Bailey's wedding, but she won't go unless I scrounge up a date for another intern."

Jackson sighed and shook his head in exasperation. This day was rapidly getting worse and worse. He glanced at April who glanced from her clipboard to the OR board as she neatly wrote out surgery after surgery in her neat handwriting on the dry erase board that dictated the entire department.

"Yeah, I guess," Jackson said turning his gaze from April to Alex, "I'll go. Meet you in the locker room?" Alex smiled and punched Jackson in the shoulder in appreciation before darting off towards peds where Jackson assumed Jo was.

After his surgery and rounding on his patients, Jackson walked towards the lounge, needing to get ready for this wedding. Cristina was already at the little table getting ready, sticking pins in her hair randomly it seemed.

"Can't believe we have to go to this," Alex said, grumbling as he walked in, pulling his suit off the hanger, "Bailey doesn't even want to go."

Jackson smirked as he tied his shoes. He looked up at the sound of the door opening and April walked in….she looked...stunning. In an emerald green dress that hugged her curves and displayed her cleavage in a strapless...yes, strapless dress. It was winter, what in God's name was she thinking wearing that?

Jackson quickly glanced away, not wanting to be caught staring too long at her. To say things had been tense between them was an understatement. Aside from today, when either of them saw each other, they tried to run the other direction and if they couldn't, they just pretended the other didn't exist.

It sucked. He missed his best friend.

April sat at the table next to Christina and began rifling through a little makeup bag and began to carefully put on makeup as Alex and Meredith yammered about the wedding.

April finished her makeup as Jackson reached for his cufflinks. April tried to engage Christina to talk, but Christina was either in a daze about something or just didn't want to talk. He wondered who had asked April to go to the wedding with.

April reached for her earrings and as she looked in the mirror, she caught Jackson's glance in the reflection. She blushed and bit her bottom lip adorably before looking away. Yeah...why weren't they together again?

Jackson tied his tie, needing to get out of the lounge. There was just too much of April exposed and he was literally shaking as he tried to resist the urge to kiss along her collarbone, with or without the audience.

"Come on," Alex said, pulling his sleeves down through his jacket, "Girls are waiting in the intern lounge."

April glanced up at that and looked to Jackson with an odd look on her face. She quickly schooled her features, but a small part of Jackson was satisfied to see she was affected by the news that he had a date, even if it was a setup and with an intern.

April

April looked down at her hands as she put on a few bracelets, frowning.

"Hey," Christina suddenly said, "You okay?"

April looked up and put a smile on her face and said, "Great. I'm great."

Christina could tell she was lying, but April was glad she didn't mention it.

"You should really get dressed before Bailey comes searching for you," April said standing and slipping her heels on.

"Hey," Kevin said, popping his head in, "Ready?"

April smiled and nodded and said, "Yep."

"You look really good," Kevin said, causing Christina to guffaw and Meredith to smirk. April blushed and smiled and said, "You too."

She grabbed her clutch and her wrap and said to Meredith and Christina, "See you guys there."

They nodded and waved at her as Kevin led her towards the exit nearest the parking ramp where he was no doubt parked.

Bailey had last minute invited Kevin to the wedding and Kevin asked if she wanted to ride together. It wasn't exactly a date like she had alluded to Jackson, but if it got him off her case about taking someone to the wedding so he wouldn't have to feel guilty about taking someone else, April could live with the white lie.

Despite the pain and all the hurt that Jackson had caused her, April just wanted to move on from whatever she and Jackson had had. Whatever it was, it was too ambiguous and detached for April. She wanted more and Jackson obviously didn't. So now was the time to move on. She hoped that Jackson would move on too and without guilt of hurting her.

Kevin helped April climb into the massive truck he owned. She blushed since it was a little harder than if she had been wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She was grateful as Kevin helped push her in as she tried to be as graceful as she could in heels and a tight dress.

"Thanks," she said, after he climbed in as she buckled up, "And thanks for driving."

He smirked and chuckled under his breath before cranking the engine over and saying, "Sure."

"What?" April asked, smiling in response to the look on his face.

"Nothing," he said, smiling at her, "You are my MapQuest, so let me know where we are going."

April nodded and gave him basic instructions and soon they were pulling into the lodge event space that was decked out in Christmas lights and evergreens...it was amazingly beautiful.

"Wow," Kevin said, parking and turning off the engine, "Bailey went all out."

"This isn't Bailey," April said, her eyes darting around the winter wonderland.

"Ben?" Kevin asked in disbelief.

April shrugged and said, "Some men are confident in their ability to throw a fabulous wedding."

Kevin chuckled and said, "Stay put, I will help you out of the car. We don't need you falling out."

April scowled at him and he just chuckled and walked around the car and opened the door as April swung her legs out. Kevin placed his hands on her waist and lifted her out of the truck and gently lowered her to the ground.

As April made sure her dress hadn't pulled down too much, she realized Kevin hadn't removed his hands from her waist.

She glanced up at him and he was watching her with a small smile on his face.

"I really like the dress, Kepner," he said in a low tone, smiling a crooked, flirtatious grin at her. April looked up at him in disbelief, trying to find the right words to say, but they wouldn't come. Before she could figure it out though, he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow and said, "Shall we?"

April smiled and nodded, brushing the moment off and saying, "We shall." Since her and Jackson had broken up, she noticed she was going a little crazy for signs that she still mattered.

He nodded and smiled, leading her towards the lodge doors and taking her coat off her shoulders and leaving her side to check them in. April glanced around, noting people who were here, and taking in the Christmas wonderland that was Bailey's wedding. She honestly expected Santa to appear any minute.

"April," Alex called out, waving her over to where he was standing with Jo the intern. April held her finger up and glanced to where Kevin was and he appeared moments later without their coats, but with two place cards.

"Luckily we are seated at the same table," Kevin said, handing April's to her.

April nodded, slipping the card in her clutch and then walking towards Alex and Jo, her eyes flicking around the room in a daze. It was just breathtaking.

"Hey Alex, Jo," April greeted.

"What table are you at?" Alex asked in interest. It was weird he was even talking to her.

"Uh, seventeen," April said, glancing at Kevin for confirmation.

"Thank God, Bailey seated us together," Alex said.

April looked at him and noticed that he seemed really nervous. And she guessed it was because of Jo, who seemed to be just as tense as he was. Well, she wasn't going to have a tense night and be their security blanket.

"We are going to walk around," April said, touching Kevin's elbow gently and guiding him away. Alex and Jo threw daggers her way, but she just ignored it.

"Nice save," Kevin said, "Are they fighting?"

"No," April said, "I think this is their first date or something."

"Oh," Kevin said, grabbing champagne for the both of them and handing her one.

"Let's go grab some good seats," April said, picking her way through the crowd with Kevin on her heels.

April and Kevin sat down and soon, the chairs around them filled with family and friends waiting for the wedding to start.

"I am so hungry," April complained, sipping the last bit of champagne from her grasp.

Kevin nodded and said, "Me too."

"I wonder if there's a vending machine or something," April whispered scandalously, looking over her shoulder and jolting in her seat when she came face to face with Jackson. He was glaring at her with Stephanie by his side. He glanced towards Kevin before looking to Stephanie and resuming conversation with her.

April turned back in her seat and said, "When is thing gonna start?"

"April," Kevin said, pulling her attention to him.

"Yeah?" she asked, trying to forget Jackson, even though she swore she could feel his eyes on her.

Kevin leaned in close and said, "It wasn't just a ride."

April looked to him in confusion and asked, "What?"

"Coming here," Kevin asked, "I didn't want to just share a ride. I think when I asked you out I wasn't clear I wanted it to be a date. But I do."

April's mouth dropped open in shock and she stammered out, "Really?" She went over their conversation in her head and now that she thought about it, he had seemed nervous. Excited. Oh God...she had totally misunderstood what this was.

"Oh," April said, not knowing what else to say. Kevin...well they hadn't had a great start. She thought he was an ass, but since he had moved here she had a change of heart. He had been here a week and had seamlessly fit in at Seattle Grace Mercy West trauma. He was actually a big help to her since the majority of the time she was left to manage trauma alone.

"Well?" Kevin asked, smirking at her.

"Well," April said, looking down for a second, smiling, "I...I had no idea."

Kevin nodded, frowning slightly and April put her hand on his and said, "I...it's just weird. You're my coworker."

"You've never dated a coworker?" Kevin asked skeptically.

April blushed. Oh boy, he had no idea…

"No...I have," April corrected him. She heard Jackson laugh at something Stephanie said behind her and thought_, Why can't I move on as easily?_ She liked Kevin. She would even call him a friend. She definitely found him attractive.

"Okay," April said, smiling shyly at the new concept, "It's a date."

Kevin chuckled and said, "Good." He draped an arm across the back of her chair, his jacket brushing against her bare back, causing her to shiver.

An announcement was made that the wedding was going to be detained briefly and they were serving hors d'oeuvres until it resumed.

"Let's go stuff our faces on appetizers," Kevin said standing and offering his hand.

"Finally something about this date that I like," April teased, taking it.

Kevin smiled and led April to the reception area where servers were circulating with trays of food and champagne.

"Would it be inappropriate to just follow the servers around and snack as they circulated," April joked. Kevin laughed and said, "I think you could pull it off."

April and Kevin walked to the bar and spotted Alex and Jo, laughing and drinking...hell, it appeared they were just about drunk or getting there.

"See this wedding is full of first dates," Kevin said, following April's gaze, "Alex and Jo, me and you, Jackson and Stephanie."

April smiled timidly and they ordered a drink.

**I would greatly appreciate any feedback via message or review! Have a great weekend!**


	3. Chapter 3

So sorry it has been sooo long. I think the last time I updated, I mentioned computer problems...well, my dear old computer which I lovingly named Pete, finally died on me. I couldn't afford a new computer until tax season and I got my return. Yay! Anyway, so I am back to writing and happy about it! Hope everyone has been enjoying Grey's...even though the Japril storyline is heartbreaking.

We Dodged a Bullet

Chapter Three

Jackson

The wedding finally was over and the reception was in full swing. Jackson watched as Kevin led April from their table and to the dance floor. As Kevin placed his hand on April's lower back, bile rose in Jackson's throat and he knew he needed to get out of there.

"Wanna get out of here," he said to Stephanie, using the Avery whammy on her and not even feeling a shred of guilt. Stephanie had been actually really nice and interesting the whole night and she was clearly into this.

Stephanie nodded eagerly and he smiled and grabbed her hand, practically dragging her to the parking lot.

April

April shivered as she waited in the lobby for Kevin to grab their coats before leaving for the she glanced out of the closing doors she saw Jackson dragging a giggling Stephanie towards his car, but instead of climbing in the drivers seat, both Stephanie and Jackson climbed into the back of the car.

The door to the lodge clicked shut on the scene just as April realized what she was witnessing. Jackson was hooking up in the parking lot with the intern. She felt her eyes tear up realizing he really was over her.

April but her lower lip, fighting to control her emotions. Kevin would be back any second.

"Here you go," Kevin said, holding her coat open for her to slip into. She quickly wrapped herself in the coat and tried to turn away from Kevin so he wouldn't see, but he stopped her and asked, "Hey, what's wrong? You okay?"

April wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye and gave a halfhearted smile and said, "It's nothing, I just get mopey at weddings sometimes. And if you tell anyone you saw me tearing up, especially Bailey, I will hurt you."

Kevin looked relieved and amused and April sighed in relief as he opened the lodge door for her. April's eyes immediately zeroed in on Jackson's car and noted the fogged windows and the slight, but discernible movement of the car. She looked away quickly as another wave of pain rolled through her.

Kevin threw an arm around her shoulders and said, "I hate weepy women, it makes me feel helpless, so please tell me how I can make this better."

"Another motorcycle pile up in the ER would do the trick," April joked, causing Kevin to smile.

April chuckled, feeling miserable as she did so but determined to bury the feelings she was feeling about seeing Jackson and Stephanie. As Kevin opened the door of his truck and helped her up into it, she shivered as his hands slid up her sides.

As he walked around the car, April quickly wiped her eyes and scolded herself to get control of herself. "I had fun tonight," Kevin said as he cranked the truck's engine over and pulled out of the parking lot...yep, right past Jackson's car to top the night off.

"Me too. But you know," April said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, "I thought you might come up to my place."

Kevin's looked at her in shock for a second before looking back through the windshield.

"Really?" he asked surprised.

April nodded and bit her lip nervously and said, "I am sure."

Kevin smiled and said, "Okay then."

Jackson

As soon as he flopped off of Stephanie he was overwhelmed with guilt. He panted in an effort to catch his breath and fight the anger and self loathing he felt for himself. April had taken Kevin to the wedding and even though an hour ago, he told himself he didn't feel any guilt about whatever he was doing with Stephanie, he now realized how terrible he felt.

He felt terrible about how he had reacted to the pregnancy results, terrible about April ending things with them, terrible about April taking Kevin to the wedding, even more terrible about taking Stephanie to the wedding, and overwhelmingly terrible about sleeping with her.

He rubbed his hand over his face as Stephanie let out a throaty giggle and gasped out, "Wow."

Jackson glanced at her and said, "Yeah."

"That was great," Stephanie said, running her hand down his chest, mesmerized. Jackson glanced around for his shirt and Stephanie purred, "Never put that back on."

Jackson chuckled and said, "I think we shouldn't risk another round. Someone might come out and see us."

"So what?" Stephanie asked, seemingly carefree as she continued to stroke his chest.

"I don't sleep with interns," Jackson said, with a half smile on his face, "Well, I typically don't."

"Neither do I," Stephanie said with a smile, "I mean, I don't sleep with my boss."

Jackson laughed and slid his shirt on and began to button it up as Stephanie reluctantly reached for her dress.

As Jackson shimmied into his pants, April's face flashed in his mind and he sighed in frustration.

April-A few days later

April walked into the lounge rubbing the back of her neck. She had worked all night in trauma and it had been a _looong _night.

"Morning," Kevin said from behind her, walking up to her and extending a brown paper bag to her and a coffee cup.

"Hey, what's this?" she asked, peeking in the bag. Inside were two delicious looking bagels.

"Breakfast," Kevin said, "Or maybe dinner since you are going home now."

"Thank you," she said, smiling down at the sweet gesture. The wedding had been really fun, but her and Kevin hadn't had a lot of time to spend together since they had been on opposite shifts.

April had been relieved about their shift differences since she was partly embaressed about the events after they had left that night. Kevin had indeed come up to her place and after rolling around on the couch for awhile April stopped Kevin as he tried to feel her up.

April cringed now as she remembered it:

_Kevin ran his hand down her body, his hands lightly brushing against her breasts as April cringed. Kevin noticed and broke their lip lock, panting as he asked, " You okay?"_

_April put her hands on his chest and gently pushed him so he sat up off of her._

"_Sorry," she said running her hands through her tangled hair and over her face as she fought her tears._

"_Hey," Kevin said gently, "It's totally okay. We don't have to do anything you don't want to."_

_April nodded and when she was sure she wouldn't burst out crying she turned to Kevin and asked, "Remember earlier when you asked if I had ever dated a coworker?"_

_Kevin nodded, looking confused and she said, "It was Jackson and it wasn't that long ago that it ended. I am still sort of getting over it."_

_Kevin nodded and looked down at the floor and said, "Oh."_

"_I am sorry, I should have said something earlier," April said, "I just...it's been hard to for me and I was feeling so good about tonight and you... I just wanted to avoid the badness that was me and Jackson."_

_Kevin nodded, seemingly lost in thought._

"_So is it over?" Kevin finally asked, not angrily, just matter-of-factly._

"_Yeah," April said, her mind flashing to the sight of Jackson ushing Stephanie in the backseat of his car. Yep, it was definitely over._

_Kevin studied her for a moment and then said, "Okay. But I think we should slow this down then."_

_April nodded and Kevin reached forward and tucked a wayward hair behind her ear affectionately. She blushed at such an intimate, but innocent gesture. He smiled and stood. April forced herself to her feet and he leaned forward and kissed her lips softly._

"_I am gonna go," Kevin said, "I will see you at work." April nodded and followed him to the front door._

"_I am sorry Kevin," April said, feeling like she had done something wrong._

_Kevin turned and shook his head. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and said, "It's okay. Night April."_

"So," Kevin said, bringing April back to the present as he walked towards a locker and set his bag down, "I noticed we both have Friday night off. Wanna go on a real date?"

Relieved that there was no awkwardness, April smirked and said, "Sure. Does this mean I have to wear a dress."

"You can wear whatever you want," he said. sipping his own coffee.

April nodded and said, "Okay." April yawned and rubbed her eyes as Kevin smiled and said, "Go. Go home to bed."

April nodded as he finished putting on his scrubs and wrapping his stethoscope around his neck.

"Don't mess up my trauma unit," she ordered, a small smile on her face.

"I think I will just to see you get all fired up," Kevin said, smirking, "That's is really hot."

April flushed and he chuckled at her and leaned down and pecked her lips, "Friday."

April nodded, biting her lip and said, "Friday."

April changed quickly and walked out of the hospital just as Stephanie was walking in with a group of the interns. She looked bouncy and happy and bubbly. April wondered if that was how she had looked when she and Jackson had been...whatever they had been.

Since that night, April had been trying to get over what she had seen. If she wanted to try something new with Kevin, she wanted to be able to forgive Jackson so she could get over it. Also, she had tried to convince herself that she didn't know what she had seen. Maybe they didn't have sex. Maybe Jackson realized he was Stephanie's boss and couldn't go through with it.

This slim possibility made it easier for her to try and get over him.

April climbed behind the wheel and steered herself home so she could crash.

Jackson

Jackson rolled off Stephanie, panting heavily, closing his eyes as he came down from his release and tried to erase the flash of brilliant red hair and a bright smile behind his eyelids.

"Oh wow," Stephanie said, panting and stretching out next to him. It reminded him of the first time in the car.

Jackson nodded and said, "Yeah. Wow."

"That was...great," Stephanie said. Jackson remained quiet, wondering how long he had to stay here without looking like a complete ass. He wished his pager would go off.

Jackson felt the bed move next to him and out of the corner of his eye he saw the signs that Stephanie wanted to cuddle...shift to the side facing him, pull the sheet to cover her breasts….

He couldn't, so he abruptly sat up and began pulling on his underwear followed by his scrub pants. Stephanie sat up, her mouth moving as if she wanted to say something, but Jackson already had his shirt on and was stuffing his feet into his shoes.

Jackson leaned forward, pecked her lips quickly, and said, "That was great, but I gotta run to my consult."

Stephanie had a bemused look on her face, but nodded and began reaching for her clothes. Jackson dashed out of the on call room and breathed out a sigh. He felt guilty and like a dirty asshole. He was an asshole.

Jackson slipped his lab coat on and walked slowly towards the OR desk, and spotted April. She was standing along at the nurses desk, hunched over a chart. Her hair...it was beautiful. Shining and glossy, skimming her back. Jackson remembered burying his hands in her hair whenever they were together and desperately holding on to her, her soft hair slipping between his fingers.

Jackson and April had been trying to get back to normal, but not with a lot of success. It was weird ever since she had ended it with him. The first day after the split he had felt like it was surreal. That he was spiraling. Their relationship always had him feeling like that though.

The next day though he was mad. And then that had lasted about a week until Bailey's wedding. And that day, he had been furious with her. He was there on a date and she barely noticed, and yes, he realized how petty that was. He was furious because her dress...sinful, sultry, elegant, and incredible were all words he would use.

But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was that she had arrived with that douche from the boards, Kevin. They laughed and smiled and talked all night, as if they had known eachother for years. Meredith told him he had just given her a ride, but Jackson could tell when someone was getting ready to make a move. And it made him see red.

Recently April was not even pretending to avoid him. If she saw him in the hall, she literally turned and walked the other way.

The state of their relationship was making Jackson feel a dizzying feeling of sadness and anger...he didn't know which one ruled. He heard her phone chirp and as she looked down at it and smiled, sending a quick text before going back to her charting. _Was that Kevin? Some other guy?_ he wondered. Anger filled him at the idea.

He strode over to her and said, "Hey."

"Hi," April said curtly, turning her attention from her chart and her phone to him. She closed the lid of her chart and waited for him to start, already knowing by his tone he needed to talk to her about something. He was surprised she wasn't running in the opposite direction.

She lifted an eyebrow at him quizzically at him as she waited, and he hesitated. He told himself he was doing this out of kindness, but was it out of vindictiveness?

"I…." Jackson began, swallowing past the lump, "I am kind of sleeping with Stephanie." _Kind of? You just left her five minutes ago..._

April's face instantly dropped from quizical to a look of pain and anger that flashed across her face, slashing into Jackson's heart. She looked down, trying to hide her face and it reminded him of the night of the pregnancy results...and the look of pain she had then to his reaction.

Now he just felt like a douche.

"I was hoping you wouldn't have to find out about it at all," Jackson said. _Liar...liar, you wanted her to know…._he thought to herself.

"But of course it's probably going to get out," Jackson said, taking in her expression. It was so….pained and angry._ Oh shit...was she going to cry?_ Fuck, he never should have told her. He was an asshole. He couldn't stand when she cried.

Her eyes couldn't even meet his. She kept glancing around as if she was trying to block out what he was saying.

"So I just wanted to make sure you didn't have to hear about it from anyone else," Jackson said, trying to make himself look like a decent guy.

April was now nodding softly, looking down. Her voice was wobbly, so she said, "Okay."

_You broke up with me, remember?_ Jackson wanted to yell at her. She had no right to look so hurt. But even he knew the way he was feeling wasn't because of anything she had done.

"Okay?" Jackson practically choked out, reaching for her on instinct to comfort her. She recoiled and Jackson flinched at how terrible that felt. Now he was the one looking down to try and hide his 'hurt' face.

There was an awkward silence that stretched between them and Jackson was about to just walk away when April said, "This is...hard for me Jackson."

Jackson stopped, confused. _What did that even mean? _He hated to sound like a broken record...but _she _broke up with _him_.

"And until it isn't so hard, I don't think...I don't think we can be friends," April said looking down, but peeking up at him through her lashes as her cheeks flushed.

_What? Was she fucking serious? She breaks up with him and then tells him they can't be friends? What the actual fuck?_

Jackson's head spun, and he quietly asked, "You sure?"

"Yes," she said, looking up at him for the first time since their conversation had started. She looked sad, but determined. "Thank you for telling me," April said, trying to get her professional voice back. She always rallied. After all, she was a soldier.

Jackson just nodded and she walked past him into the nearest patient room.

Please let me know your thoughts? I am sorta unsure about this story, so feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks everyone!


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